


Perfect Places

by onlywordsnow



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, mentions of the wife and the fight, post 2x10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 03:28:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11797473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlywordsnow/pseuds/onlywordsnow
Summary: When everything settles down for just a few minutes, Nicole and Waverly finally talk.





	Perfect Places

**Author's Note:**

> This has got to be the last one I write like this.

It's good to be home.

 

Although her house is a mess thanks to being attacked by a demon widow, the place is still somehow warm.  She's exhausted.  The last moment of peace she actually thinks she had was before the DNA test results arrived.  She doesn't even remember what day of the week that was.

 

Thankfully, Waverly is beside her which probably makes the warm welcoming at her home warmer, despite that the circumstances aren't great.  It's been days and they still haven't been able to have their 'sorry party.'  She can tell something isn't sitting right in Waverly, too, but after every bombshell that has dropped she doesn't want to press it.  In fact, she had half expected Waverly to help her get settled in and quickly head back to the homestead.

 

They've been at her house for a few hours now but she lost track of Waverly an hour ago.  She's been laying on her bed, honestly too tired to move, expecting Waverly to return at any minute.  Her body is exhausted despite spending a few hours in a coma, quite possibly because she spent a few hours in a coma, and her muscles are all sore from the physical brutality of her fight with Mercedes.

 

She sighs and sits upright.  The sun shines brightly in her eyes and she squints to clear her vision.  She swallows thickly and calls out, "Baby?"

 

"Here!" She hears Waverly call back from down the hallway.  Nicole hears the clacking of Waverly's boots against the wood flooring as she moves down the hallway.  It stings just a little that Waverly hasn't bothered to take her shoes off yet.  Nicole feels a swell in her chest as Waverly's shining face pops into the doorway.  Waverly smiles and practically sings, "Hey."

 

"What's going on?" Nicole asks, "Are you okay?"

 

"What?" Waverly replies, standing a little straighter.  Nicole pushes her hair back behind her ear and releases a steady breath.  Waverly's face falters for a split second before she smiles again.  "I'm fine."

 

"Are you going back to the homestead?" Nicole ventures.  Waverly doesn't answer right away but she doesn't even appear to be thinking about it either.  She shouldn't have asked; she's gathered something isn't entirely right between Waverly and Wynonna.  "What have you been doing out there?"

 

"Cleaning up," Waverly admits, "I thought I would let you rest a bit before we...talked."

 

"We can talk now, baby," Nicole says.  She sees it then, a wince on Waverly's face.  She purses her lips tightly together and outstretches her left hand suggestively, beckoning Waverly over.  "Please."

 

Waverly nods her concession and glides further into the room.  Nicole feels Waverly slip her fingers into hers when she gets close enough.  Nicole's arm begins to feel to heavy so she lets it drop a bit.  Waverly says, "It can wait."

 

Nicole shakes her head in response but it makes her feel a little dizzy.  She huffs absently and leans back against her pillows.  Waverly drops onto the bed, but she's too far away for Nicole's liking.

 

"I know you have a lot of questions," Nicole starts.

 

"I have to tell you something," Waverly says, barely above a whisper.  Nicole watches as Waverly slowly turns to face her, her eyes just as sad as the moment Wynonna had walked into the hospital room.  She says, "And when I do, you might hate me."

 

Nicole feels an incredulous noise escape her throat.  She almost thinks it's a laugh.  She says, "If you think you could ever tell me anything to make me hate you then you don't know me very well."

 

She sees it again, the wince.  She feels like she's been saying all of the wrong things over the course of the last week.  And, really, all that she's wanted is to make Waverly understand just how much she loves her.

 

She watches Waverly as she pauses to pull her knee up beneath her.  She watches Waverly fold into herself. Nicole begins to feel nervous.  She lifts both hands to tuck her hair behind both ears.  She quickly follows that up by trying to get more comfortable, pulling her legs up beneath her to sit criss-cross.

 

"I kissed someone else," Waverly mutters.

 

Nicole almost thinks she doesn't hear her correctly.  When she looks at Waverly she sees all of that guilt and it registers why Waverly wanted to have a sorry party in the first place.  Nicole knows 2 things instantly: 1, Waverly has been beating herself up over this enough for the both of them and 2, she barely escaped death.

 

"Baby," Nicole says.  She sighs heavily and reaches over with her good hand to touch Waverly's knee.  She sees Waverly recoil at her touch.  She doesn't like it.  She says, "It'll be okay."

 

Waverly looks at her in disgust.  Waverly says, "I tell you I cheated and you comfort me?"

 

"Again, you've been dating too many assholes," Nicole replies.  Waverly looks away from her almost too quickly.  The disconnect has hurt more than anything else.  Her legs begin to ache beneath her and she slides them outward.  She's momentarily distracted by the pain and pulls her hand away from Waverly's knee to rub at her legs.  "Waverly, you've been through hell."

 

"No, don't make excuses for what I did," Waverly interjects.  Nicole huffs again, beginning to feel annoyed at this entire admission.  She almost wishes Waverly just never would have ever said anything.  Nearly a minute of silence passes before Waverly says, "Don't you want to know how it happened?"

 

"Not really, no," Nicole says.  She looks over at Waverly who has seemed to start focusing on a loose thread of the comforter.  Nicole feels an ache in her back and slides down, flattening her spine against the mattress.  "No one is perfect. You were scared. I don't need the details. You're going through a lot, but I don't want you to feel guilty."

 

"Nicole..." Waverly's voice is soft, defeated, and she trails off into a weak breath that shows her exasperation.  Waverly's eyes cast down on her.  She looks up and maintains eye contact. Waverly's throat tightens as she swallows.  Waverly says, "Your wife said-"

 

"Wait," Nicole interrupts, pushing up way too fast.  Her muscles scream out at her and she clinches her fists.  Waverly must sense something that's off kilter because Nicole feels her gentle fingertips against the back of her hand.  She releases a breath and says, "When did you talk to her?

 

"She was at the hospital," Waverly says, "Didn't you see her?"

 

"No," she says with a light shake of her head.  The weight on her hand increases.  She looks over at Waverly who doesn't have a malicious or angry look in her gaze.  Nicole says, "I'm sorry.  I didn't want you to find out this way."

 

Nicole feels Waverly squeeze her hand.  She decides to be bold and flip her palm over, pressing her palm against Waverly's.  She's relieved when Waverly slides her fingers between hers.

 

"You almost died," Waverly says.  Nicole's eyes watch the way Waverly moves as she lays down beside her.  Waverly turns to face her.  "You almost died and all I could think about is how to save you, how to keep from losing you.  She sat by your side while I frantically looked for a way to save you.  The doctor told Shae to say her goodbyes if you woke up, but I couldn't.  I could never tell you goodbye."

 

Nicole turns to face Waverly, lifting her injured arm and placing her hand into Waverly's.  She tucks her good arm beneath her, and moves her legs to get comfortable.  Her knee hits Waverly's and she offers her a sheepish smile by way of apology.

 

"I feel safe with you," Nicole admits, "I feel like you'll protect me.  I've never felt that way with anyone before."

 

"I would do anything for you," Waverly whispers.  She feels Waverly's foot slip between her calves.  Nicole watches Waverly lift her free hand, Waverly's fingers lightly pressing against her chin only to smooth up her jaw.  Her skin tingles beneath Waverly's touch.  "I hope you know that."

 

Waverly pushes Nicole's hair behind her ear.  Nicole sighs, squeezing Waverly's hand tighter.  She says, "Waverly, you're the most important person in my life."

 

"Can we maybe," Waverly sounds shy as her fingers brush absently over Nicole's cheek.  Nicole thinks she can feel Waverly inch closer.  Waverly has a pert look on her face when she adds, "Go down to the station and change your next of kin?"

 

"I'll put that on my list of things to do," Nicole mumbles with a nod, "Right after filing for an annulment."

 

"Actually, I think I would rather you make the next of kin thing a priority over the other, especially in this town," Waverly says.  She sees a small smile toy on Waverly's lips.  Nicole can see that Waverly has so many things swirling in her head.  Waverly swallows and says, "Wynonna is mad at me for saving you.  She won't say it, but I think I should give her space."

 

"Waverly," Nicole says softly, "What did you do?"

 

"I realized that we weren't over, that I wasn't ready to live without you," Waverly says.  Nicole watches the tears formulate in her eyes and she, for a moment, wonders if Waverly has even taken a moment to breathe since she walked in on the widow having her metallic hands around Nicole's throat.  "So I saved you. I picked you."

 

"Baby," she says, voice gravely, "Your sister loves you.  Just give her some time to come around."

 

"You almost died because of me."

 

"Not because of you," Nicole reassures.  Waverly's hand is still warm on her jaw.  She can only wonder if everything is fine between them, if everything will be okay, if being so close to death made the rest of their problems seem so minuscule.  She smiles softly at Waverly.  She says, "You saved me.  In more ways than one."

 

Waverly doesn't say anything, but Nicole sees the tear getting choked up in her eyes only to finally slip over the brim.  Nicole sighs.  Placing her index finger on Waverly's chin, she tips Waverly's mouth upward as she slowly moves closer.  She kisses Waverly lightly, reassuringly, like she's forgotten what it's like to kiss her.  She doesn't apply much pressure, just lets her lips linger on Waverly's warm ones until Waverly pulls back.

 

"Oh god," Waverly hums, "You nearly died and you're taking care of me."

 

Nicole hears a sputter of laughter fall out of Waverly which leaves her reeling.  She squeezes her calves around Waverly's ankle as she tightens her grasp on Waverly's hand, intent on keeping her close.  She still has so many things that she did wrong, but nearly dying really does take the cake.

 

"I care about you," Nicole mutters, "And I want you to be okay.  Your guilt has been eating away at you for days, I can tell."

 

"I'm sorry about the text.  I'm sorry for kissing someone else.  But, most of all, I'm sorry you almost died because of me," Waverly whispers.

 

"Come here," Nicole says in a breath, widening her arms.  She feels a wave of relief course through her veins as Waverly slips closer.  She slips her healing arm around Waverly's waist, the skin more tender than she remembers.  She presses her fingers into Waverly's spine.  "She wasn't there because of my affiliation to you.  I would have died if you hadn't shown up.  She was kicking my ass and I could only find my strength when she set her sights on you.  I would do anything to protect you, including die if it meant saving you."

 

"I know you mean that to be romantic, but I would really rather you just, I don't know, not die," Waverly says.

 

Nicole smirks tiredly and nods in agreement.  She feels Waverly's fingers cup her cheeks for the briefest of moments before they slide down her sternum.  She involuntarily shivers beneath Waverly's fingertips.

 

"About Shae," she starts, "It wasn't real.  We've stayed friends, but I never felt about her the way I feel about you."

 

"Nicole," Waverly says, voice stern yet calm, "I love you so much."

 

"I know, baby," she replies, voice catching in her throat.  She lifts her head slightly as Waverly tucks her head beneath Nicole's chin.  Both of her arms are suddenly around Waverly and she's holding her tightly, the warmth comforting.  "You were willing to cause problems with Wynonna to save me.  I know it’s hard, but you're always welcome here.  As long as you think Wynonna needs space, I want you here."

 

"If you thought I was going to leave you so soon then you don't know me that well," Waverly counters teasingly.

 

She feels Waverly press a kiss to her throat, chaste and warm.  Her arms are heavy, body exhausted from fighting to live, but Waverly pressed so close to her helps light something inside of her.  She feels a hope that she didn't feel just days ago.


End file.
